Sammy Ameobi has revealed how Rafa Benitez forcefully made him leave Newcastle United.
The 25-year old is the younger brother of former Nigeria international, Shola Ameobi, who spent almost his entire club career in Tyneside.
During the summer of 2016, Benitez sat down with forward and told the player to find a new club, before sending him to train with the reserves, writes the Sun.
Ameobi then spent six months out on loan at Bolton Wanderers, before returning for the second half of Newcastle’s Championship campaign following an injury crisis, during which he made four appearances.
“At the start of last season, he said: ‘We’ve looked at you and you’re not in our plans. You should find a new club or go on loan.’ He sent me down to train with the reserve team,” Ameobi said of his conversation with Benitez during the summer of 2016.
“He is brutally honest but it is it how it is. Different managers have their different ways and that’s him, and that’s absolutely fine. I don’t have a problem with that and there are no hard feelings at all.
“When I came on loan to Bolton, to get to play week in, week out was something I’d never had before.
“It was a great honour to get called back because I love Newcastle and it’s my home. So to think I might get an opportunity there was great.
“But then again, when I realised that I was down the pecking order, it got a bit uncomfortable because it wasn’t what I wanted to do, I want to play every week. I realised then that it was time to move on.
“I grew up in Newcastle and it’s my home. For as long as I remember, there has always been an Ameobi there. But times change.”
After a difficult start to the campaign, Ameobi and Bolton are beginning to find some form in the second tier.
In six league starts, Ameobi has netted three times – including at the Stadium of Light against Sunderland.
He accepts, however, that had his application at Newcastle been equivalent to the effort he currently puts in at Bolton, he may well still be in the Magpies first-team set-up.
“It’s difficult to say. I’ve had periods where maybe I haven’t put in 100 percent of the work that I know I should have. Maybe if I had, I might still be playing there now,” Ameobi said of his Newcastle career.
The 25-year-old, who has represented England at youth level, is yet to make effort to switch allegiance to the Super Eagles.
